Waterproof floor-covering.



J. SMITH.

WATERPROOF FLOOR COVERING.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.30, 1911.

1,008,296. Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

onirico sTaTns TATENT oratori.

JUDD SMITH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED ROOFING- AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

WATERPROOF FLOOR-COVERING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

To all whom Zt may concern:

Be it known that I, JUDD SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Waterproof Floor-Covering, kof which the following is a specification.

This invention relates' to improvements in `flexible water-proof coverings which are especially adapted for floorings, and has rfor its object the production of a covering which may be satisfactorily employed as a substitute for wood, so-called linoleum, oilclotli and the like as interior floor covering, and which withal is .extremely durable, attractive in appearance and cheap to mamifacture. y

Heretofore many `attempts have been made to produce a satisfactory floor covering from felt, one ofthe essential-features being the production of ornamental ei'ects so as to render the same an attractive substitute for the present materials lwhich are employed for these purposes. One of the chief difliculties has been the fact thatthe `felt is not adapted to receive paint and varnish and in addition the impregnating materials with which the felt is saturated tend to re-act with the drying oils of paint applied thereto with the result that the coating is injured, and the varnish and the oils of the paint penetrate it,'thus rendering the samevrigid and destroying its flexibility.

The gist of my invention consists in the provision of coverings having flexible foundations saturated with suitable pitchy water-proof composition, such for example as asphalt, to which is superficially applied an impervious coating of sizing, said sizing including a colloidal inorganic compound capable of forming a glossy'film when obtained.` in the forni of a thin layer by the evaporation of a solution of the same. Upon this sizing-coating a coat of filler consisting of linseed oil, drier and pigment is first applied, then finishing coats of paint and varnish, tlie same being preferably grained with the well known Posselious graining machine, and finally the covering is finished after such graining -with a coat of tough, high-grade, elastic floor varnish.

The of myvinvention is the application of ay sizingl coating to the saturated felt, or other material, which will prevent absorption, and produce a surface to which filling and finishing coats of paint and varnish will firmly adhere.

.The invention is fully set forth and described in the accompanying specification a'nd the drawing forming a part thereof in which the figures show a representation of the successive layers of the covering embodying my invention. Y

In carrying out my invention I preferably employ aV felt which has been covered or saturated with a water-proof coiiiposition containing hydro-carbon. such as asphalt paint or pitch, applying to this a sizing containing preferably about one part of silicate of soda and two parts of glue. To this, when thoroughly hardened and dried, I apply filling and finishing coats of paint aiid varnish to produce any desired ornamental effect. F or floor covering in imita-tion of matched wooden strips, I em'- ploy the following process; to the sized felt preferably wool felt I apply a filler consisting preferably of about one part of linseed oil and two parts of gloss oil, which may be ground together with a pigment for example French `ocher to give it any desired color tone, and thinned sufficiently witli'naphtha to the proper consistency .for such application. 'Yhen'this is dry, I apply another coating of paint containing about one part of linseed oil and two parts of varnish, into which also may be mixed, if desired, a pigment such as yellow ocher. A graining color is then applied by means preferably of a Posselius graining machine in imitation of the selected wood, and a finishing coat of high grade floor varnish is then applied. The floor covering so produced resembles with great exactness a floor of the real wood represented, and is flexible and durable. l

The sizing coating. as stated. preferably consists of ysome suitable colloidal glutinous organic material. such as animal glue, and` a colloidal inorganic compound capable of forming a glossy film when obtained in the form of a thin layer by the evaporation of a solution of the same. .such as silicate of soda. This sizing coating is not .only `ad hesive to both the foundation layer and to the finish-coating, but is also resistant both consisting of wheat lor rye iour and glue,y

while it has been proposed for rooting material, does not roduce a satisfactory coverlcombiningwith lar ing especially if the covering is intended for the hard and peculiar usage togwhich floor coverings are subjected.

The peculiar pro rties imparted by the silicate of soda to t 'e sizing, results in the production of 4a covering which can be readily iexedwithout noticeable .cracking and even if flexed to the extent that serious cracking occurs, thesame can be restored to its original condition, 'and thecracking be-l comes invisible'. .Moreover, thev silicate of soda, even though the same, as is well known, possesses the peculiar propertyA of quantities i of water, does .not seem to a ect, or bev aiectedv by, the subsequent coatings of paint and varnish or o'il contained therein.' Silicate of soda,

'commonly known as Water glass constitutes one ofthe so-called incr anic colloids,

and when dissolved in Water orms a gelatinous mass, which when obtained in thin layers by the evaporation of the solution produces a peculiar glossy4 film, admirably suited, when the-same vis covered. with grained coatings of -paint or varnish or both, to producea surface closely approxi- 'matin in appearance any wood vthat itis desire yto imitate, the grain being copied fromv the actual wood.'

The term pitchy or pitch-like is ein ployed ,in thecla'ims, to generically cover pitchy materlals, including among others the common pitch obtainedfby the distillation of turpentine, Vand. bitumen or asphalt.,

I asv well as petroleum pitches, coal tar pitches 6'0- and like materials. f

` What I claim 'and' desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. A water-proof covering for floors' and the like, comprisin a ilexibleporous foundation impregnate with a Water-proofing composition of pitch-like nature, a coating ofl sizing, including a colloidal, inorganic compound ca able of forming a lossy film when obtaine in the form of a thin layer by the eva oration of .a solution'of the same, superficially applied to said'foundation, a finish-coating containing paint, or varnish superposed 'upon said sizing coating, said sizin coating being .adhesive to both said fou'n ation and said finish-coating, and being ish-coating containi' incassa also resistant to the impregnating composition of said foundation and the ingredients of said finish-coating.

2. A' Water-proof covering for o'ors and the like, comprising a felt foundation in ipregnated with a Water-'proofing composition of Va pitch-like'nature, a coating of by the evaporation of a solution of the same,

supercially applied to said foundation, a finish-coating containing paint or varnish superposed upon said sizing coating, said sizing coating being adhesive to both said sizing, including a colloidal, inorganic comfoundationI and said nish-coating,"and being also resistant to the Vim'pregnating composition of said foundation and the ingredients of said finish-coating.

3. A Water-proof covering for floors and the like, comprising a flexible porous foundation impregnated with lWater-proofing .composition of a'pitch-like nature, a coating of sizing, including a colloidal glutinous organic material, and a'colloidal inorganic compound ca able of forminga glossy in the form of a thin lm when obtain layer by the evaporation of a solution of the same, superiicially applied to said foundation, a finish-coating containing paint or varnish superposed vupon said sizing coating, said sizing coating being adhesive toY both said foundation and said finish-coating, and being lalso vresistantv to the impregnating composition of said .foundation `and the ingredients of said finish-coating.

4. A water-proof covering for floors and the like, comprisingv a feltfoundation impregnated with a water-proofing com osition of a pitch-like nature, a coating o .siz-

ing, including a colloidal glutinous organic material and a colloidal inorganic compound z capable of forming a glossy film when obtained in the fornil of a thin layer by the eva oration of .a solution of the same, su'- pe cially applied to saidl foundation, a fining coating being adhesive to both said foundation,v and sai finish-coating, and beingl also resistantto the impre atin composition ofsaid foundation an the ingredients of said finish-coating.

5.' A- water-proof covering for floors and` paintr or varnish superposed upon said sizing coating, said siz-v finish-coating, and being also resistant to the impregnating composition of said foundation and the ingredients of said finish-coating.

6. A Water-proof covering for floors and the like, comprising a flexible porous foundation impregnated With a Water-proofing composition of a pitch-like nature, acoating of sizing, including an alkaline silicate, superficially applied to said foundation, a finish-coating containing paint or varnish superposed upon said sizing coating,` said sizing coating being adhesive to both said foundation and said finish-coating, and being also resistant to the impregnating composition of said foundation and the ingredients of said 1inish-coating. f

7. A water-proofing covering for ioors and the like, comprising a flexible, porous foundation impregnated with Water-proofing composition of a pitch-like nat-ure, a coating of sizing, including sodium silicate, superficially applied to said foundation,'a finish-coating containing paint or varnish super-posed upon said sizing coating, said sizinglcoating being adhesive to both said foundation and said finish-coating, and being also resistant to the impregnating composition of said foundation and the ingredients of said finish-coating.

8. A Water-proof covering for oors and the like, comprising a felt foundation impregnated Wit-h Water-proofing com osition of a pitch-like nature, a coating o sizing,

including glutinous colloidal organic mat/e# rial and an alkaline silicate, supercially applied to said foundation, a finish coating containing paint or varnish superposed upon said sizing coating, said sizing coating being adhesive to both said foundation and said finish-coating, and being also resistant to the impregnating composition of said foundation and the ingredients of said finish-coating. i

9. A Water-proof covering for floors and the like, comprising a felt foundation impregnated Wit-h Water-proofing composition of a bituminous nature, a coating of sizing, including glutinous colloidal organic material and alkaline silicate, supericially applied to said foundation, a finish-coating, vcontaining paint or varnish superposed upon said sizing coating, said sizing coating being adhesive to both said foundation and said finish-coating, and being also resistant to the impregnating composition of said foundation and the ingredients of said finishcoating. A

10. A Water-proof covering for iioors and the like,'comprising a felt foundation impregnated with Water-proofing composition of a bituminous nature, a coating of sizing, including glutinous colloidal organic material and alkaline silicate, supercially applied to said foundation, a filler-coating containing oil, drier and pigment, a color-coating containing paint an varnish applied to said filler-coating, said color-coating being grained in imitation of a natural Wood, and a final coating of tough, elastic varnish applied to said grained color-coating.

In Witness whereof I' have hereunto set my hand at the city of Minneapolis, this 21st day of January 1911.

JUDD SMITH.

Witnesses: Y

I PETER ZAHUM, P. A. PAULsoN. 

